Following Emily's Death
by GumdropsandButterflies
Summary: Deals with a non-canon retelling of Emily's "death" and return. Mostly JJ's coping and guilt, how the team felt. Inside I explain what you need to know to understand the fiction. Talks more about the case, the aftermath, how I dream everything goes down. This is INSPIRED by the actual events. No Henry/Will
1. Chapter 1

Inspired by the return of Emily and her "death". As always JJ is around 25, Emily about 32. I realize that it doesn't fit the timeline but I do NOT like my characters to age. This fiction deals with JJ's guilt over deceiving the team, includes talk about weight loss, nightmares, and a twist on everything. That's why I say the story is _inspired _by the actual events. JJ-centric, Emily-centric, includes whole team. JJ learned Dutch and French in this fic to contact Emily. No Henry/Will.


	2. Chapter 2

***A fanFICTION ****_inspired _****by the "death" and return of Emily. Like in all of my fictions JJ and the rest of the team is younger, all you have to know is that JJ is 26 and Emily like 32. Also Ashley will make an appearance for little of the fic, if you have a problem with reading about extreme weight loss, or nightmares don't read. Also JJ learned French and Dutch to be able to contact Emily, I have NO idea how this witness protection thing really goes but it is fanFICTION so here we go. J The conversation starting off is in French so in ****_italics_**** is the English version. **

Jennifer Jareau sat guiltily in front of her TV, she had turned it on to have a background noise while she thought. She had called Emily Prentiss or Claire Aubel as she was now known, three times since she had faked her death. Once to situate her at her first location, the next to tell her she had to relocate to Belgium, then to tell her they had a slight suspicion that Ian Doyle was close to locating her so she was being moved to France. Now she was calling her to tell her to come home, Ian Doyle was no longer a threat.

She dialed the number written on a previously hidden piece of paper and waited anxiously as it rang.

"Claire Aubel est incapable de répondre au téléphone en ce moment, s'il s'agit d'une urgence puis essayer de nouveau, si ce n'est pas alors mes excuses et je vous contacterai dès que possible. S'il vous plaît laissez votre nom et la raison de l'appel après le bip. Au revoir! Beep."

_Claire Aubel is unable to come to the phone right now, if this is an emergency then try again, if this is not then my apologies and I will contact you as soon as possible. Please leave your name and reason for calling after the beep. Au revoir! Beep._

"Foxtrot. 7. 3. 9. Whiskey. 2. 10. 6. Juliett. 5. 8. 1. Romeo. 4. 910. Papa. 513. Oscar. 268. 652. 359. Jareau."

"Ligne sécurisé?"

_Secure line?_

Even though JJ knew Emily was safe she couldn't help but let out a breath of relief.

"Ligne sécurisé."

_Secure line._

"Rentrer à la maison?"

_Come home?_

"Excusez-moi?"

_Excuse me?_

"Venez à la maison. Menace éliminé."

_Come home. Threat eliminated._

"Vous êtes-Oh mon dieu. Quoi. Quand puis-je-maintenant?"

_Are you- Oh god. What. When can I- Now?_

"J'ai organisé un vol pour vous. 3:00 PM demain un taxi viendra vous chercher, venir directement à moi."

_I arranged a flight for you. 3:00 PM tomorrow a cab will pick you up, come straight to me_

"Je serai là."

_I'll be there._

JJ sat there, head back in her shaking hands. She had no idea how long she had been sitting there but when she shot up there was no light come from the window. Standing there disoriented wondering what had caused her to jump so suddenly, she remembered as another shrill ring pierced the air.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Um Gumdrop what are you doing speaking French?"

"Oh! Penelope?"

"Did I wake you or something, who else would have this beautiful voice?"

JJ realized that her thoughts had never switched from the French she had spoken to Emily, to English.

"No, I'm just… tired. Is everything okay?"

"Just wanted to talk. Are you all right?"

"Umm. Penelope can I call you back tomorrow actually, I'm really tired and I-"

"Of course sweetie, sleep tight."

"You too."

Before Garcia could reply she was met with the dull sound of the dial tone.

After the call from her best friend JJ allowed herself to break, she had been strong for everyone ever since Emily's "death" and even before that. Now however, she couldn't hold it in and collapsed onto the couch dissolving into a mixture of cries and sobs. Tears for the family and friends she had deceived, for the pain she caused, for what her friends had endured.

_Because of you. _

A whisper came from the very back of her subconscious causing her to sob more until she was barely able to take a breath.

"No. Not my fault. Not my fault."

She clutched at her ears and head trying to make that faint voice go away.

"All my fault. All my fault."

She finally fell into a dark slumber where she was plagued by nightmares.


	3. Chapter 3

Emily had practically yelled out in joy when she was told that Ian Doyle was no longer a threat. She had no idea what JJ had meant by eliminated but she was too glad to be able to go home to ponder over it too much. As she took one last glance around the apartment where she had been for almost a full month, she wondered if she would miss it and whether she should just stay and save the others from more pain.

_No they deserve better. They deserve to know. Especially JJ._

The thought of JJ sent tears to Emily's eyes as she hailed a cab. The young woman had been her rock the entire time she had to play dead. The idea that it was someone close to her keeping her safe made her feel safer then she could ever feel with some cold, trained stranger. Online scrabble, the sound of her voice- surprisingly in French. Any contact with JJ, though scarce, was what kept Emily sane the whole time.

_She sounded weird over the phone. I hope she's been taking care of herself. _

Guilt swept over Emily as she thought of the guilt that JJ had probably gone through, at least she had been called away from the BAU to the State Department but it probably didn't make a difference in JJ's mind.

She stretched as she made her way off the airplane where she had been confined for about 9 hours. She got in the cab that JJ had arranged feeling pretty good but as she neared JJ's small home, her nerves rose until she felt she would be sick. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before paying the cab driver and making her way up the short driveway. Putting her hand up to knock she steeled herself but before her hand could make contact with the wooden door, it flew open and away from her knuckles leaving her feeling idiotic as she stayed with her fist midair.

When JJ had woken up she expected it to be 7:00 AM, however when she looked at the oven top's clock she was shocked to see it read 12:00 PM instead.

_Emily._

JJ began rushing around cleaning up the table where several files regarding Emily had been lying for several weeks, clearing dirty clothes and dishes, putting them to wash and lighting a candle matching the Febreze she had just sprayed. Having an hour left she decided to take a quick shower, changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top she went to stand by the window to wait for the yellow taxi which would hold her best friend.

Just 15 minutes into standing by the window pacing, she rushed to her room to get a beige cardigan. She felt cold a lot these days. Another 15 minutes or so and Emily appeared from a cab causing JJ to begin pacing faster and open the door before her friend could even knock.

Before Emily had a chance to react a small, blonde bundle came flying into her arms chattering quickly.

"Je suis tellement contente que tu sois de retour. Je vous ai manqué. Êtes-vous d'accord? Comment était le vol? Où vous à l'aise pendant que vous étiez absent? Je vous m'avez tellement manqué."

"JJ. JJ calm down. You're speaking French. Hey? Are you crying?"

Emily had been shocked when JJ had thrown herself at her, gathering her in a tight hug, the height difference causing her to hang from her shoulders. She was even more surprised to feel how light JJ was, how thin she felt against her. She had always been small but now… Emily didn't want to know how much weight her friend had lost because of her. She was also shocked to hear JJ speaking French that was quite fluent, feeling warm inside at her friends' words. "I am so glad you're back. I've missed you. Are you okay? How was the flight? Where you comfortable while you were away? I missed you so much."

"JJ come on now, what's the matter?"

Emily took herself, JJ, and her luggage inside and onto the couch. JJ pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes giving Emily a good look at her tired eyes, dark circles vivid under her subdued blue eyes. Looking at the rest of the blondes' body she could see rib impressions, slightly protruding hips, smaller legs and bony ankles and wrists.

"What did you do?" Emily asked in horror.

"What are you talking about?"

"JJ you should have been taking care of yourself. You look sick. Is this because of me?"

"Of course it's not because of you. I just haven't felt like eating since you… left."

"How's the team?"

"I haven't seen them in a bit though Reid comes over a lot to cry, Penelope was sad but she's been getting back to herself, Hotch has a small amount of knowledge about you so he hasn't been too bad though he's guilty, Morgan has been angry and has been obsessed with finding Doyle, Rossi was definitely sad but he's been getting on, I haven't really gotten much from Seaver but she missed you- says she didn't really know you."

"Are we going to tell them today? Or when?"

"We can go today but on one condition."

"Yeah sure."

"You have to let me and Hotch talk first before you walk in so sneak into my old office."

"Okay, let's go."

"I have to change silly."

JJ walked to her bedroom a bit hurt that Emily hadn't talked to her more, but she waved that away knowing she didn't deserve to feel that way. She changed into jeans and converse, leaving the cardigan and tank top. It was much too cold these days for her though they were in the heat of July.


	4. Chapter 4

As they drove toward the BAU the girls didn't really talk as JJ was feeling more and more guilty and Emily was even more nervous than when she was at JJ's. When they parked JJ only said a few words before hopping out shakily.

"They won't hate you."

_They'll be too busy hating me._

The pair squeezed hands before parting ways, Emily staring at the picture of her on the wall of 'Killed in Action' agents. She closed her eyes briefly before rushing into JJ's old office when she heard voices from the hall.

"JJ?! Oh Buttercup, this is way better than a call."

When they walked into the bullpen JJ had her back turned and she didn't turn even as her old team members tried to greet her.

"Hotch, I need to talk to you in the conference room."

His stomach twisted with dread, mind instantly going to Emily Prentiss. He followed JJ who had yet to turn around.

When they arrived where the round table was located she still didn't turn, uttering only two words.

"She's back."

He had no time to register JJ's actions as he was too shocked and relieved.

"Alive? She's okay?"

"In the BAU, she's in the BAU. Before you see her we have to tell the team."

"They're going to be so angry and hurt."

"It'll be okay. They'll have missed Em too much and when they learn she had no say in the matter they will forgive her 100%"

"What about us? Me. You."

"They still need to have respect towards you, besides you were only told an inkling as an emergency measure. I did everything and lied to their face, I delivered the news."

"So what about you?"

"Hopefully they'll get over it within months."

"Months?"

"Yes months." JJ finally turned with tears in her eyes, dark shadows cast over her face even in the brightly lit room, she was thinner with her collar bone peeking and she constantly wrapped the cardigan she wore tighter against her. "I lied to their face, I told them she died, I ruined their lives, and I caused them this pain. I did."

Hotch looked at the young agent shocked, she looked on the verge of breaking. Before he could wrap her in a hug, she turned back around to compose herself.

"Bring in the team, we tell them today, right now. This ends today." She said.

He walked to the door and motioned toward his team who tried to act as if they hadn't been staring at the door and window all this time, they stood and walked into the room confused. JJ began to speak and Hotch knew from the look in her face to keep quiet for now.

"You all should sit down."

They all sat except for Hotch and Reid who tried to get closer to her.

"Don't. You need to sit."

JJ took a few steps towards the door before turning to the sitting team.

"A few months ago I told you that Emily Prentiss was pronounced dead."

"JJ what the hell, do we really need to talk about this." Morgan interrupted abruptly.

"We attended her funeral, said goodbye, lent on each other as we grieved. You all were grieving for very different reasons." JJ just continued. "I want to apologize in advance for what I am about to tell you, I know you'll be angry and hurt but I had no choice."

"JJ what's going on?" Rossi asked.

"Emily Prentiss isn't dead she's actually right outside this door."

"JJ what the fuck are you on, how could you joke like that?" Morgan seethed.

As if on cue Emily walked in, tentatively standing next to JJ. Ashley was the first one up and Emily thought she was about to get smacked across the face, instead she turned towards JJ and struck out. JJ's head whipped to the right, a harsh _slap _the only thing heard.

JJ took a few steps back and the team turned their eyes back to Emily.

"I am so sorry you guys, I wished I could have told you guys but-"

"Did you have a choice?" Reid asked coldly.

"No she didn't, the Marshall came to me and the plan was set in motion." JJ answered instead.

"That's not entirely true, I was set as an emergency contact sort of thing and I knew that Prentiss had survived." Hotch insisted.

"So you were the one who did everything?" Penelope asked turning a steely glare towards the former media liaison.

"Well yes but-"

"So you let me cry on your shoulder for ten weeks, you lied to all of us, you let us believe that Emily was dead?" Reid stood up storming from the room.

_Told you they would hate you. I can make it better. Run._

JJ knew from the tension and heated glares that she was no longer a part of this team so she listened to the little voice and turned to the door and ran without another word.


	5. Chapter 5

She arrived at her car shaking, vision blurring, panting for air but got in and drove anyways. She arrived at her house and clumsily made her way to her bathroom, the pain in her heart was unbearable and she thought it would never stop. She puked into the toilet as she had done many times and turned to the mirror, hating the sunken in, dull eyes.

"You promised!" She yelled at her reflection. "You lied to me!" She smashed her mirror with her fist once, twice, three times before she sunk onto the floor sobbing. "You liar, just leave me alone" She whispered.

_I'm the only thing you have left. Liar, liar pants on fire. Looks like you're all alone again. Liar. Liaarrr. _

"Leave me alone! Just go." JJ covered her ears rocking back and forth trying to release the pain she felt in her chest, the guilt eating away at her insides.

"You guys was that necessary? Especially hitting her?" Emily asked after JJ had ran.

"She lied." Morgan whispered.

"Not even I know all the details of the case but I do know that she dropped everything in her life to protect me. Do you think she was transferred just because they wanted her? She looked you all in the eyes and lied, JJ lied. She would have never done that if not for me. If I had come to you before she never would have had to do this."

"Yeah but you had no choice." Reid said stepping back into the room.

"And you think she did? Look I have to go and find her but I'll see you all soon?" Emily asked.

The whole team agreed.

"Look, meet me at JJ's today? Please just do this for me. I plan to be filled in on the case and if you want to figure out why your **friend **did what she did then come to her house at 6 PM."

Emily walked out without waiting for a reply from the team, she arrived at the parking garage and realized the JJ had already fled. She sighed and called the familiar number for a taxi. As she made her way back to her friend's house she thought about what she could say.

_Sorry wouldn't do it at this point. She just got slapped by someone she barely knows and totally iced out by the team. Her team. _

She stepped out after paying the driver, stepping onto the driveway for the second time that day a bundle of nerves. After knocking she stepped back. She knocked every few minutes for almost 15 minutes, frown deepening. Finally she took the key located in a small crack by the hinges and opened the door, stepping inside she called out.

"JJ? It's Emily."

As she walked through the house calling JJ's name she came upon a horrifying image, the first person to have welcomed her into the team, the woman who had quickly turned into a best friend, the one who kept her together while she was in hiding… Was sitting on the cold bathroom floor rocking back and forth muttering something she couldn't hear, ears covered by shaking hands which were covered in blood.

Emily bent down in front if the curled up blonde taking her hands away from her ears. "JJ? Its Emily okay? You're okay." She tried to comfort JJ who still had this faraway look in her eyes and was muttering the same thing over and over. "Jay, what are you saying?"

"All my fault. All my fault. All my fault. Everything's my fault."

"No no no, JJ. JJ come here"

Emily wrapped her arms around JJ trying to get her to calm down but she just sobbed, she had stopped muttering that it was her fault though it did little to soothe Emily's worry.

"Jay, why don't you talk to me? Just relax, I'll get you some tea and wrap your hands so we can talk." Emily spoke softly.

"I-I can't move." JJ stuttered.

So the brunette grabbed her like a child and carried her to the couch, minding the glass on the floor. Leaving JJ on the couch wrapped by a fleece blanket, Emily worked her way around the small house as she prepared tea and gathered some medical supplies. While she made her way back to the blonde she spotted a pile of case files in a cardboard box, Emily sighed tiredly and continued her way back. Sitting on the couch and facing the JJ who she had never seen, it scared her to see the normally strong woman looks so lost.

"Here. Drink this while I wrap up your hand."

JJ complied but didn't say a word, she only winced as Emily pulled small bits of glass from her cuts and dabbed at them with alcohol before bandaging them.

"I realize we didn't really talk before, but can you talk to me now?"

"What's there to talk about? They hate me, I hate me. I have nobody anymore."

"Let's talk about that later, I told the team to meet me here at 6. I want to know about the case, and I thought they should know too. Is that okay?"

"Okay. I'll tell you the personal things and them just the details?"

"Can you start with why you got so skinny?"

"I was too worried to eat and then I- You know I really shouldn't tell you because then you'll feel sorry, or guilty, or-"

"But I want to know. Please JJ. I know this is hard but you have to talk about this anyways."

"I felt really guilty about lying, and then I felt really sad for you so I just stopped eating most of the time."

"Do you have nightmares?"

"Sometimes but they should go away now that you're here."

"What where they about?"

"Oh just about Doyle getting you, or the team hating me, or you really… passing away. Sometimes about my sister."

"You know I can't believe you learned Dutch _and _French just to talk to me."

"Can I take a nap before the team gets here? I have a feeling I need to be well rested for that."

"Of course, I'll start some dinner. And by that I mean order Chinese."

For the first time in a while, JJ cracked a smile causing Emily to chuckle. JJ laid down on the couch not wanting to be far away from Emily and risking it all being a dream, before drifting to sleep she murmured. "Em? I missed you a lot."

"I missed you too." Emily replied but it fell on deaf ears, her friend was sleeping.

_Even in sleep she frowns. _

Emily turned and walked away to order some food for the both of them, JJ was **not **getting away with 'I'm not hungry.'


	6. Chapter 6

**Nice long chapter to keep you all busy for the next day or two, maybe three before the next update. I don't want to hold up the other stories.**

Hotch sighed, turning to the team. "Seaver I don't approve of you having slapped JJ across the face."

"She lied to the whole team, she-"

"That is still no reason to have hit her." Hotch snapped.

"Hey no Hotch, you don't get to slap at her either. You knew and you couldn't do anything?" Morgan stood up.

"No I couldn't. You don't know the consequences that there would have been if any of you had known."

"So tell us? What could be worse than lying to your team members?" Reid jumped in.

"Have you stopped to think that had any of you known Doyle wouldn't hesitate to kill you for answers? Prentiss's life was at risk even halfway across the world."

"What about all the pain we went through? And don't you trust us?" Garcia asked.

"Of course I trust you all. But you have no idea the type of guilt that burrows into you when you have to lie to everyone you love. And JJ? She went through worse. All of you needed comforting and while I couldn't help you because I was too guilty, JJ stood by you. Let you cry on her shoulder at any time of day. What, you think that just because she **had **to lie to you all, that she's turned into some cold-blooded bitch?"

Everyone stood shocked at Hotch's choice of language but stayed quiet knowing that they couldn't make an argument at that.

"Well I'm going to JJ's at 6. Who else is coming?" Rossi asked.

"She was… is my best friend. I have to at least find out why." Penelope agreed.

"I only had an inkling that Prentiss was alive, I want know the details of the case." Hotch agreed too.

Looking towards Reid, Morgan, and Seaver they saw that they didn't even have to ask. The answer was no.

Emily sat on the loveseat off (the food in the kitchen tempting her) to the side where JJ laid, she was reading Little Women. She had found it on one of JJ's bookshelves where all of the books where worn and obviously read more than once.

_How she has time for reading I will never know._

As she finished reading the scene with Beth's death her attention was turned to the sleeping blonde who had started thrashing around, muttering again.

"Nee .. Nee! Doyle laat haar gaan ... Stoppen! God nee ... Allemaal mijn schuld ... Had haar moeten beschermen ... Laat haar met rust ... Vechten Em! Vechten ... Laat haar gaan, heeft ze niet verdiend! Em laat me niet ... Nee!"

_No... No! Doyle let her go... Stop! God no... All my fault... Should have protected her... Leave her alone... Fight Em! Fight... Please let her go, she doesn't deserve this! Em don't leave me... No!_

"Jay? It's okay, it's a nightmare. Wake up now." Emily tried to soothe her but was startled back when JJ let out a scream that made her heart skip a beat. Or two. JJ shot up and looked around, eyes wild with panic. "Hey. Hey, JJ I'm right here. I'm okay."

JJ turned towards the familiar voice, eyes still wide and filled to the brim with unshed tears. They just stared at each other for a good 20 seconds before JJ started running her small hands and fingers over Emily's face.

"She's okay. She's here. Okay. She's okay." She muttered to herself.

"JJ? You want to talk about it?" Emily asked softly.

The blonde looked at her confused as if she had forgotten she was there before her face crumbled and she began to sob.

"Em, Doyle had you and he… He **killed **you. And it wasn't pretend and I failed you and the team. They still, but then. And it was my fault!"

Tears rose in the brunette's eyes, she could barely understand what JJ was saying but what she understand was enough, she hugged JJ, again marveling at the thinness of her friend. They stayed that way for who knows how long, Emily remembered the food in the kitchen and pulled back.

"Jay, we're going to go eat now and then we can talk more? It's 4:00 already."

"I don't really feel-"

"Finish that sentence and I'm feeding you like a baby." Emily threatened.

They both ate, JJ eating slowly as Emily pushed her to eat more. Sometimes tears rose up in her eyes but she continued until she finished ¾ of the plate.

"JJ. What happened in the bathroom? Talk to me, please." Emily asked as they sat back on the couch.

"I don't know. Sometimes I hear Annie talking to me, in my head. But she sounds so mean now, and she told me to run, she promised she could make it better but she lied. And I got mad so I punched the mirror."

"Who's Annie?"

"If you have a sister and she dies, do you stop saying you have one? Or are you always a sister, even when the other half of the equation is gone?"

"Is it because you miss her that you hear her?"

"No. It's because I feel like it's my fault?"

"Why do you always blame yourself? JJ nothing that has happened has been your fault."

"Because when there is no one else to blame, you blame yourself. Especially when the people around you blame you. Can we talk about something else?"

"Like you know French and Dutch now?"

"I learned it to be more efficient with your case and contacts. Besides I knew basic French from high school."

"Oh, I never really thanked you for all you did for me. Even if nobody realizes it yet, you saved me. And they'll figure out that you had to lie."

"You don't have to thank me silly. I would do it a thousand times over for you or for the any others. How are you anyways?"

"I'm… I'm actually great, surprisingly."

"Did you feel okay while you were away?"

"Yeah, you helped a lot. I painted some pictures, thinking about coming back was one of the things that kept me going."

"I'm glad." JJ smiled proudly.

_Knock. Knock._

The smile faded from JJ's face as the team, or whoever from the team had obviously arrived.

"Go on. Answer it, they won't bite." Emily urged.

"Yeah but they smack hard." JJ muttered.

When she opened the door she counted and saw Rossi, Hotch, and Penelope.

_Of course they want to know details. The others don't even care._

"Come in." She said softly.

Leading them to the sofa where she had spent most of her day, she took Emily's example and curled up by one of the arms while the three visitors sat on the love seat and other side of the couch.

'So is this going to be questions and answers or can I just leave you with the files?" JJ asked Emily, not being able to look at the team.

"Uh, sure. Are you going to-"Emily had noted the small blonde's obvious discomfort so agreed but hadn't expected her to practically fly to her room.

"Okay, let's all tackle these files… Oh and videos together."

The four grouped around the small table where the files were messily put in boxes and began to, one by one, pick through them.


	7. Chapter 7

"Okay so this is when they told her the plan." Hotch said.

The four began to read through the first file and envisioned what had happened as they read.

_"Agent Jareau please take a seat." Said the Marshall. _

_"What is this about?" JJ sniffled._

_"Emily Prentiss is alive."_

_"What? How? I have to go and tell my-"_

_"I'm afraid you can't do that Agent."_

_"Excuse me?" she asked. _

_"Ian Doyle is still a threat to Emily Prentiss, she's going into hiding and you're faking her death. Unless you can't do that-"_

_"How do you expect me to lie to the people I see every day? I can't __**not **__tell them that she's alive!" JJ interrupted._

_"If you do tell them there will be heavy consequences. The least of your worries will be that your friends will be in constant danger if they know. The more people that know the more dangerous it is for Emily Prentiss. Besides you're being transferred, you won't see them every day and you'll have more time and contacts" The Marshall said darkly._

_"I-I'll do it." She resigned._

"What did he mean by consequences?" Penelope asked.

"I don't know. Fire her maybe? Whatever he meant it was enough for her to agree." Rossi said.

"Or she didn't want to see any of us in danger." Emily pointed out.

Hotch picked up the second file and skimmed through it.

"This one's about the plans made. It's pretty thick." Hotch said. "Okay so she made 5 identities… Codes… She knows French?"

"And Dutch, she's more fluent in French. She said she wanted to be able to contact me." Emily explained.

"So how many times did you have to move?" Rossi asked.

"From Guatemala to Belgium, then France."

"Wow that must have been hard for you." Penelope said sympathetically and giving Emily a hug.

"It was at first. I wanted to come back and finish it, I was worried about you all. But knowing that JJ was protecting me, hearing her voice on the other side of the phone kept me sane." Emily explained. "But France was nice, I painted and there was always wine where I went." She joked.

They continued to read through the second and third file learning more and more as they went, JJ had done more then they gave her credit for yet again.

"Wow there is a lot of paperwork in faking a death." Hotch groaned.

"So how much exactly where you told about the whole ordeal?" Rossi asked Hotch.

"That Prentiss was alive, she was being moved as we spoke, that I couldn't say a word. It was probably more out of courtesy that I was told… the plan was already set in motion."

"How about you Emily?" Penelope asked.

"I woke up in a rest home in Guatemala, received a call from a Marshall. He told me not to come back or to tell anyone. He gave me a message from JJ that she was taking care of it and that I would be back home soon enough."

"How many times did she get to talk to you?" Penelope asked enviously.

"Don't get like that Pen, it was only three times. The fourth was to tell me to come home." Emily defended her friend.

"This is the last part, a video tape." Rossi said while he placed the tape in the T.V.

It was a series of tapes from different angles, different angles of some sort of warehouse, a helmet camera, and a gun camera.

They watched several soldiers storm the warehouse taking down several men while arresting others, it seemed like they had cleared every room until the tape cut to a familiar face.

"Ian Doyle." Emily whispered as an involuntary shiver ran down her spine.

He was racing across the room and almost made it to a gun when he froze, he turned around his face showing no emotion until he grinned.

"There's no volume." Hotch said.

They watched as Doyle leaped for the gun still on the counter but before he made it he fell to the floor clutching the knee which appeared to have been shot.

"Who's there?" Penelope whispered.

Her question was answered when a familiar blonde stepped into the picture wearing all black, her hair in a ponytail. She crept up to Doyle who was still on the ground and turned him onto his back, her friends were shocked to see no emotion shining through as she pointed a gun at his head and said a few words.

Doyle tried to grab at her but she put stepped closer before pressing the trigger effectively stopping his motions, she stepped away slowly before turning and heading back out of the frame. The tape cut out signaling the end but the four gathered around the T.V didn't move a muscle.

"That's what she meant by threat eliminated." Emily whispered.

"What?" Rossi asked.

"She told me to come home, that the threat was eliminated. I didn't question it but…"

"Are you mad?"

Emily turned to see JJ leaning against the wall, her eyes filled with unshed tears and arms wrapped protectively around her torso. She stared at her for a moment causing her to walk back to her bedroom, shoulders slumped.

"You guys stay here." Emily ordered as she ran after her blonde friend.

When she reached the bed where the small body was curled up, Emily sat next to the crying blonde.

"I'm not mad Jay, if it weren't for you I would still be in France fearing for my life." Emily soothed.

"Morgan's going to hate me." JJ's voice came out muffled as she pressed her face into her sheets. "He hates me for lying to him and he'll hate me for killing Doyle. He worked so hard you know? He had a folder and he was looking for him and he swore to kill him and I took that away from him."

Emily's heart broke for the young woman in front of her, hearing her best friend sob made her feel determined to help her like she had helped her.

"JJ talk to me, you haven't really talked about how you've felt and you have to."

"I feel **awful! **I lost almost every friend I have in one go, I ruined everything I had, I would do anything to keep you safe Em but can't they understand that I would never hurt them intentionally! They didn't feel the_ guilt _or worry I did. They all needed comfort and I comforted them even if the secret was eating me up inside, I help them and I never pushed them away no matter how tired or scared I was. All I wanted to do was keep you safe Em!" JJ cried.

"Jay you still have us." Penelope stepped in. "Yeah I was angry and hurt but I came here because you're my best friend and I had to know why you would lie to us. And know that I know I'm ready to forgive you."

"You're like a daughter to me and I'm not losing that when everything you did was for the safety of the team member we have all grown to love." Rossi added.

"And I'm sorry JJ, I should have been there for you being the only other one who knew. Instead I left you to comfort everyone, I let you waste away in front of my eyes. You have been nothing but strong and you don't deserve hatred." Hotch apologized.

"Thanks guys but you don't have to apologize, you guys being here means the world to me. Thank you for understanding." JJ finally turned around wiping away the tears from her cheeks.

"Buttercup you didn't take anything from Derek. You killed that horrendous man for all of us and if he can't understand that then I'll make him." Penelope reassured her best friend. "All you did brought Emily back."

"What did you tell Doyle anyways?" Emily asked.

JJ thought back to just a few days ago when she had killed Ian Doyle.


	8. Chapter 8

_Ian Doyle chuckled at the small blonde who pointed a gun at him, thinking that she wouldn't do anything he jumped for the gun on the counter. A shot rang out hitting him squarely in the knee. He screamed and halted his actions, instead grabbing at his leg trying to ease the pain._

_"Jennifer Jareau, best friend of Emily Prentiss. You won't kill me, you __**want **__to take me back and make me pay for my __**actions."**_

_Instead of replying she stepped closer causing the man on the ground to reach for her but she simply stepped closer to his head._

_"Lauren Reynolds is dead and this is for Emily, Morgan, and everyone else."_

_"You won't pull the trigger bitch."_

_"Go to hell you sick bastard." She replied coldly._

_She pulled the trigger effectively ending his dying words, letting out a sigh of relief she made her way out of the room ready to follow up on any leads and paperwork and bring her friend back._

"Nothing, just directed him down the merry way to Hell."

"Is everything going to be okay with you Jay?" Emily asked.

The three others had left with promises of getting together soon. They had cheered JJ up by watching some of her extensive collection of Disney movies, they distracted her and then proceeded to hand her bits of food which she accepted instantly as she was enthralled with the movies.

"With you here then yes." JJ replied.

Emily had asked JJ is she could room with her since her condo was being renovated. That was a complete lie but she wanted to help her out and make sure she recovered from the trauma she had experienced while JJ helped her recover from hers.

"Hey Em… Do you think it will take Morgan and Reid more than 5 months to forgive me?"

"I think it will take much less, with the rest of the team putting in good word for you." Emily joked. "But really Blondie, Morgan will come around. You're like his little sister. Then Reid, you've been his rock ever since Gideon left, his big sister before that."

And Emily was right it took two weeks but Morgan came to JJ's house and talked it out, he hadn't even been upset about her killing Doyle, instead thanking her. Another week and a half and Reid began to warm up to JJ.

After Ashley transferred Emily came back as a profiler and Penelope went back to being just a Computer Goddess (as she deemed herself) to make space for their new media liaison and communications coordinator.

Jennifer Jareau.

**This is the end, please review. Hope you all enjoyed :) It's been a pleasure writing this story which has been my biggest success. Cheers, Primrose.**


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